Vehicle head lamp



Dec 18, 1,928. 1,696,111

H. B. DONLEY VEHICLE HEAD WP Filed Dec. 27, 1926 21 jonley Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD B. nOnLEY; or COLUMBUS, OHIO, sssronon TO THE JOHN w. BROWN MFG.

, 00., OF, COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHI VEHICLE HEAD LAMP.

lpplication filed December 27, 192 6. Serial No. 157,124;

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle head lamps, or to lamps of the type comprising a casing having a reflector arranged therein wit a light source 1n the 5 form of an incandescentbulb adjustablydisposedin front of the reflector. 'ljhe principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a lamphaving thesegeneral. features of construction and wherein provision is made for a compound adjustment of the light source with the end in view of obtaining proper relationship between the focal point of the reflector and the lightsource, in order to control to better advantage the propagation of light from the lamp by well defined beams for illuminating specific zones and to prevent promiscuous scattering of the lightinto undesired zones or regions to the front of the lamp. 7 j

Another object of the invention rests n providing a lamp of the character atoresaid with a bulb support having an ad usttble mounting by means of which the support, an incandescent bulb associated therew th 26 may be moved axiallyv and horizontally with respect to its associated reflector and, in addition, adjusted vertically or in a plane at right angles to the first named plane of adjustment, in order that theifilamentor lila 3 ments of the bulb may occupy proper operating relationship with respect to the associated reflector and to compensate for 1rregularities and variations in the" manufacture of the bulb, the reflector and associated 5 parts. V

' The invention is especially apphcablein connection with the so called double filament type of lamp bulbs in that through the compound adjustment the several filaments q of the bulb may be accurately and carefully positioned to operate in their intended Way to the bestadvantage.

A further object of the invention rests in the provision of a construction of simple,

readily operated, and inexpensive des gn which may be readily employed in connect on with lamp parts of stan ard manufactur ng design, and wherein the focal ad usting means for the lamp bulbwill be mainly situated within the lamp casing to the rear of the reflector, with the actuating portions of the adjusting means arranged exteriorly of the casingto therear of the latter, where they will be out of the way and will not interfere with operations attending the cleaning of thelamp. j i

VV'th these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consistsin the novclfeatures of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claim. I

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a vehiclehead lamp and illustrating more particularly the focal adjusting means comprising the present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view illust-rating in plan the mechanism disclosed in Figure 1, v 1

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view setting forth a modified form of the lamp adjusting means.

Referring more particularly to the drawing there has been illustrated therein a lamp 1 of. the type commonly employed in connection with motor vehicles, and while this type. of lamp has been selected for purposes of description and illustration, nevertheless,

it will be understood that the invention is not limited solely to lamps designed for vehicle illumination especially, but may be utilized in connection with electric lamps for any other purpose or use.

In thisinstance, however, the lamp com-.

prises a casing 2,having the open end thereof covered byalens 3 and a retainingring 4.

Within the casing there is disposed a standard form of reflector 5, facing toward the n front of the lamp and provided with a relatively enlarged axially disposed openingfi.

Adjustablymounted within the opening 6 for movement both longitudinally and verti. cally with respect thereto is a bulb socket or support 7 which detachably carries in the usual manner a standard type of lamp bulb 8, which may be of either the single or double filament variety. Connected with one side of the support 7 is a rearwardly and longitudi nallyextending bar 9, which terminates at its inner end in a substantially U-shaped portion 10, This portion of the bar is provided,

with threaded openings for the reception of the threaded shank of an adjusting screw 11.

This screw is disposed axially of the casing and'has its shank loosely received within an opening "fiirmed in the rear wall of the casing. The headed end 12 of the screw is disposed enteriorly of the casing and is situated preferably in a depression 13 provided in the rear wall of said casing. The screw 11 is the bulb with respect to the focal point of "the reflector; I

In order to provide for the lateral or transverse adjustment of the bulb support in addition to the axial adjustn'icnt described, there is mounted upon the inner wall of the casing 2, adjacent to the screw 11, a bracket 15 having an out-turned ear to which is pivoted as at 16 the inner end of a swinging arm 17. This arm extends substantially parallel to the bar 9, and has its outer end provided with a spring clip 18, which frictionally embraces the outer walls of the support 7. In addition, the arm 17, adjacent to its pivotal point, is provided with an offset crankportion 19, located below the plane of the screw 11. Thecrank portion is provided with a laterally turned car 20, provided with a threaded opening for the reception of the threaded shank of a second adjusting screw 21, arranged parallel to and below the primary screw 11. A coil spring 22 is situated between the car20 and the bracket 15 and serv-csto maintain the screw in its adjusted position. Lead wires 23'extend from the suppmti' to the exterior of the lamp and lead to any suitable source of electrical energy. In operation, it will be seen that by adjust-- ing the main screw 11 the lamp bulb may be moved in and out for a substantially axial and horizontal direction; However, by adjusting the second screw 21 the arm 17 will be oscillated about its pivotalconnection '16 and since the arm 17 carries the bulb supportatits outer end, itfollows that the oscillation of said arm will result in imparting corresponding movement to the bulb 8 so'that the latter will be moved in this instance in a substantially vertical plane, or more broadly speaking, in a plane perpendicular to the plane of adjustment secured "by the main screw 11. By this compound adj ustment of the lamp bulb the lattermay be adjusted with accuracy and convenience to occupy its most effective positions in front of the reflector so that the light beams emitted from the lamp may be more accurately controlled and vagrant or stray rays eliminated. 6 The adjustment operatcstwit h particular facility when the doublefilament typek'ifbulb is used, enabling each filament of a bulb of this type to be properly positioned in the front of the rcllecto and an ellleient operating 7 condition maintained. It will he understood that the screw 11 fits loosely within the opening provided therefor in the back of the casing and therefore readily adapts itself to the angular position secured by the actuation of 7 the second screw 21. I The springs 1-l andfZQ serve to positively position the parts, to avoid 1 loss of adjustment and to prevent noise or rattle between the relatively movable parts. In Figure 5 a slightly modified form of the in- 8 vention has-been illustrated wherein tlunirm 17" does nothave its outer end directlyconncctcd with the bulb support, but is provided with a laterally disposed pin :24, which is received within an elongated slot 25 provided in the bar 9. The operation and principles of the construction are, however, similar in? every respect to theconstruction set forth in describing the preferred form of the invention. It will be observed that the con- 9 struction employed is simple and is yet: cllicient and reliable. The adjusting screws are out of theway and to a large extent coir cealed and will not interfere with operations attending the cleaning of the lamp.

lVhat is claimed is:

In a lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted within said casing and provided with an axial opening, a bulb support freely movable with in said opening and adapted to carry an in- J candescent bulb in advance of said reflector, an adjusting screw disposed axially within said casing between said reflector and the back wall of the casing, a connecting member having the forward end thereof secured to 1 said support andthe rear end thereof provided with a threaded bearing for the reception of the threaded shank of said screw, sprin {1 means for retaining said screw in its positions of ad justment, a member pivotallymounted con- 1 tiguous to the rear wall of said casing and in horizontal alignment with said screw, the outer end of said pivoted member being associatedwith said bulb support to swing the latter vertically, a second screw engaged 1 with a threaded bearing carried by said pivoted member, and spring means for retaining said threaded screw in its various positions of adjustment. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

. .HitRoLn B. DONLEY. 

